This was the answer I penned which I thought might be worth putting here for future reference…
To elaborate slightly on previous answers…there are 13 different sub-species of Darwin’s Finch. Each pertains to a particular island in the Galapagos archipelago. That is to say that the same bird evolved subtly different characteristics depending on the local conditions of their island habitat. Where the main food source was a form of nut, they evolved stronger beaks for insects, longer beaks. That sort of thing.
If you go to the Galapagos what you actually see are lots of little brown birds, like a house sparrow. Not at first sight the most interesting bird in the sky. Far from it. It was the same for Darwin who frankly went hunting on the islands. It was only much later in life that he returned to the specimens he had gathered as a young man in the Galapagos and noticed the differences between the finches and between the shells of the giant tortoises and started to really work though his theory of evolution.
In short, those little brown birds don’t look like much but are fundamental to the development of evolutionary theory.
If you are interested in joining us on a Galapagos cruise, get in touch!
Post Office Bay on Floreana
I see today that they are filming an adaptation of Margaret Wittmer’s autobiography, ‘Floreana: a woman’s pilgrimage to the Galapagos‘. It could be an absolute cracker – the story certainly is.
The human history of the Galapagos is, in one sense, the most interesting aspect of the islands. More than the animals themselves, it’s the way the humans have adapted to the demands of the animals which is curious. Never more so than the story of Floreana.
The first inhabitants of Floreana arrived in the early 1930s. German doctor Friedrich Ritter and his ‘pilgrim’ Dore Strauch first arrived in search of paradise. What they found was markedly different, not least because it seems that Ritter was a misogynistic bully. Nevertheless, Strauch wrote some rather romanticised magazine articles which made it back to Germany to be read by, amongst others, the Wittmers. In 1932 the pregnant Margaret, husband Heinz and 14 year old son Harry landed in search of a real life ‘Swiss Family Robinson’ episode.
Life on Floreana at this stage would presumably have been pretty strange and quiet but not scandalous. That bit arrived in the form of the ‘baroness’. Blonde bombshell, sexually rather more open than was perhaps the norm in the 1930s. Or any decade for that matter. She arrived with a smattering of four adoring young men. And some guns.
It was the baroness’ intention to build a large luxury hotel on Floreana to attract millionaire guests from the US. She basically starts to assert her authority and in fact declares ownership of the island.
It’s at this point that things start to go seriously wrong as people started to die, one by one….
There is much to this story, accusations and counter claims but it is interesting to know that Margaret’s children, though getting on a little now, are both still alive and working in tourism in the islands. Inge runs a small guest house on Floreana, Rolf runs several boats which offer tourist cruises around the islands (the Tip Top boats). I have spoken to guides in the Galapagos who still remember when Margarete used to meet boats as they landed at Floreana to sell cookies to the tourists.
If you would like to know more about holidays to the Galapagos, call us on 01273 676 712.
The deluxe class Evolution yacht sailing the Galapagos Islands
Discounts for a Galapagos cruise on board Evolution don’t come along often but when they do, they are very, very attractive. How does a 44% discount sound? Put another way, a price reduction of us$4,355.
If you can set sail for 7 nights on the 27th August, 10th September or 24th September 2011 then you are in for a treat. Evolution is one of the most comfortable small ship cruises in the Galapagos. Carrying just 32 passengers in some style, she also has one of the most comprehensive itineraries around the islands, taking in the real highlights of the Galapagos over the course of her 7 night journey.
Normally, for two people the cruise plus National Park entrances and flight to and from the mainland would cost a total of us$9,848.
For the departures above, if you move fast, you can pay as little as us$5,493 for two of you. That is to say, a 44% discount!
For up to the minute availability, please call us on +44 (0)1273 676 712 or drop us an email to info@ pura-aventura.com